Congratulations to the host for completing the sign-in!
Reward obtained: Original Adamantium Skeleton!
"Original Adamantium? Skeleton?"
Senju Haruto stared at the reward notification floating before his eyes. His first thought instantly leapt to a certain legendary superhero who didn't exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—Wolverine.
Logan.
And alongside him, the actor Hugh Jackman, who had spent seventeen years of his life carving that unforgettable image of Wolverine into history. Especially the final farewell film, Logan, which had left an indelible mark on Haruto's memory.
"But now that I think about it, Adamantium might be called one of Marvel's three great metals, but it actually comes in several varieties," Haruto muttered under his breath.
Take Logan for example—his skeleton was bonded with the second-generation version, known as True Adamantium. A super-metal created without Vibranium, one of the military's most classified black technologies. Its greatest advantage: it was reproducible.
But what Haruto had just received was different. His reward was Original Adamantium—the first generation.
"If I remember correctly, the origin of first-generation Adamantium goes all the way back to World War II," Haruto recalled. "It was a man named Dr. MacLain who, inspired by Greek mythology, set out to create an indestructible alloy."
The idea was brilliant. The problem was the limitations of the era's technology. No matter how hard he tried, MacLain failed.
Haruto remembered the story well. After countless failures, exhausted and broken, Dr. MacLain finally collapsed asleep in his lab… and it was in that very moment that his dream metal was born—by accident.
A fusion of steel, iron, Vibranium, and an unknown catalyst produced a compound harder than any known substance.
That was Original Adamantium. The very first Adamantium.
Because it was created unconsciously, MacLain never discovered the correct formula. No one could ever reproduce it again. That's why the Original Adamantium became a once-in-history miracle.
It's also worth noting—this very first alloy was what Captain America's shield had originally been made of.
But because of film rights issues, the MCU had changed that detail. Since Adamantium was tied to the mutant mythos, and the rights to mutants weren't owned by Marvel Studios at the time, the movie version of Cap's shield was retconned to be made of pure Vibranium.
"Maybe with a little mix of other materials…" Haruto shook his head. He wasn't going to get lost in those details.
As he was piecing together everything he knew about Original Adamantium, Coulson's voice cut through his thoughts and pulled him back to the present.
"As long as we can find the right method, we can bring Captain back."
Coulson's excitement was impossible to hide. If Steve Rogers woke up now, Coulson was certain he'd rush forward with his prized collector's card, begging for an autograph.
But the man standing here wasn't the real Nick Fury. He was White Zetsu in disguise, acting under Haruto's command.
Seeing Coulson so worked up, White Fury instinctively turned to Haruto. Only after receiving Haruto's subtle nod of approval did he take a deep breath and say slowly,
"With the technology we have today, I'm afraid it won't be possible to wake the Captain."
He pressed a palm against the frosted glass, his face heavy with regret.
According to the original timeline, Rogers shouldn't wake up until 2012—four years from now.
But Haruto wasn't sure whether this was because science simply couldn't thaw him earlier… or if S.H.I.E.L.D. hadn't actually found him until that year.
If it was the latter, then the timeline had already shifted. Certain events were happening earlier than they should.
"The butterfly effect, huh…" Haruto thought.
Already, because of him, the Ancient One had left the earthly dimension nine years too soon. If his meeting with Tony Stark had been a pebble dropped into the river of time, then tricking the Ancient One into giving him the mantle of Sorcerer Supreme had been like smashing an entire continent into it.
"If Rogers is discovered four years earlier, then maybe Thor will come to Earth sooner too… and with him, Dormammu, and even Thanos."
Still, none of that worried him. For Haruto, the only goal was to keep signing in, to grow stronger and stronger. The timeline? He couldn't care less.
"Haruto," White Fury suddenly turned, locking eyes with him.
"Maybe your power… could awaken the Captain."
The weight of his words hung heavy in the room. Coulson, along with every scientist nearby, collectively sucked in a sharp breath.
In other words, Fury had just declared that Haruto's abilities went beyond the limits of modern science.
"Director Fury, are you serious?" Coulson gasped. He wanted to protest—how could one man possibly hold such power?
But then he remembered Broadway. He remembered magic.
And as he looked closer, he realized Haruto's face was… familiar.
His eyes widened. His steps faltered. He pointed a trembling finger, his mouth opening into a stunned "O."
"You're… you're the sorcerer who killed the Abomination?!"
The memory struck him like lightning. That figure had left too deep an impression—too unforgettable to ever truly forget.
How could he not have recognized him sooner?
Coulson cursed his own stupidity even as newfound awe flooded him. And then his admiration turned toward Fury as well. To think the Director had managed to persuade someone like Haruto to join the Avengers Initiative…
This man would be—without question—the strongest Avenger.
At least, that was what Coulson believed. No, more than believed—he knew.
Haruto and Rogers together would be both the symbol of power and the spirit of leadership for all superheroes to come.
"That's right."
Haruto smiled and nodded, openly acknowledging the identity. He had nothing to hide. If he wanted, he could've cloaked his face in magic from the start.
But he hadn't.
Because this—this was the true bearing of strength.
The attitude of someone untouchable.